The Chicago Tribune reports on America's most corrupt large city:
Federal authorities are set to announce charges Thursday against 15 people, including seven City of Chicago employees, after an investigation into bribe-taking at the city's Zoning and Building Departments.
The case includes developers, contractors and City of Chicago inspectors or other employees who were arrested yesterday and today for allegedly receiving and paying bribes regarding City building, zoning and construction permits, the U.S. attorney's office announced.
The investigation was led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the FBI and the city's inspector general, authorities said.
The investigation targeted employees who allegedly took money to influence zoning applications or alter building plans, authorities said. The defendants are scheduled to appear in federal court at 3 p.m. The U.S. attorney's office scheduled a press conference for 2 p.m. to discuss the case.
Last year, a related federal investigation led to charges against eight current or former employees of the Building Department. One building inspector in that case cooperated with investigators to help take down others involved in taking payoffs.
The legacy of
Alderman Roti lives.No word yet from Obama "the reformer" on this one.
The Chicago Sun-Times has more on the story and this quote from Chicago Mob
linked Alderman Bernie Stone:
“I thought we had cleaned this all up, and now, all of the sudden, it’s starting again,” Stone said. “I thought we got rid of these bums. There’s some people who just can’t resist the allure of easy money . . . . I don’t know why people sell themselves for a few dollars.”
When your best friend was
this "high ranking made member" of the Chicago Mob you are an expert on corruption.
